Should We Drive or Take Disney Transportation Between Parks?

[sasra_nu]

We are driving to WDW next month so we will have a car to use. We are staying at CSR.

Would it be better to drive our car or take WDW transportation to the parks?

We plan to do some park hopping. Would it be to our advantage to drive to/between parks on the days we are park hopping, or take WDW transportation?

If we drive, how long would it take us to get from MK to Epcot - from inside one park to inside another (not from parking lot to parking lot)?

Thanks to anyone who can help! I am trying to plan out our days and decide how long transportation will take, and what our best option is to get around.

 

[sam_gordon]

We are driving to WDW next month so we will have a car to use. We are staying at CSR.

Would it be better to drive our car or take WDW transportation to the parks?

We plan to do some park hopping. Would it be to our advantage to drive to/between parks on the days we are park hopping, or take WDW transportation?

If we drive, how long would it take us to get from MK to Epcot - from inside one park to inside another (not from parking lot to parking lot)?

Thanks to anyone who can help! I am trying to plan out our days and decide how long transportation will take, and what our best option is to get around.

"Better" is different for everyone. IN GENERAL a car will be quicker. However, I like the Disney immersion, and I let them drive. I'm going to guess you're going to get about 60-40 for driving.

 

[Surfinpiratee]

I'm kind of wondering the same thing. We'll also be driving, 17 hours down! So we may not want to be in our car at allllll haha. But it could be faster. I'd say try out both ways! See what works best. If we're staying at a park.until close, ill probably use the busses. I don't want to be searching for my car at night lol!

 

[Moodyzblu]

If I had a car .. I'd use it. I hate Disney transportation. I appreciate that it's there .. but can be pretty grueling at the end of the day when everyone wants just one thing .. to get back to their resort !
We will have a car this next trip .. and I am so looking forward to not having to wait to get on an over crowded bus and getting to stand for 20 minutes in the dark trying to get back to our resort.

 

[Brook1099]

We prefer our own vehicle.. we used to use Disney transportation but they pack until they started packing us in like sardines... no thanks!

 

[MillauFr]

We prefer our own vehicle.. we used to use Disney transportation but they pack until they started packing us in like sardines... no thanks!

Do the Disney buses have "pushers" like Tokyo???

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0A9-oUoMug

 

[Hopefully]

No "pushers" like Tokyo
I prefer Disney Transportation. We find it meets our needs. Part of being on vacation for us is not driving. We do that at home to work all the time

 

[sharadoc]

We drive, but you should try the transportation and decide if you like it. We like the immediacy of driving vs. waiting for a bus and I think if you have a car there, you might have less "patience" with the bus since you know you have an alternative available.

I hate the cattle call going back to the resort especially.

 

[jeff968]

Do you have to pay for parking if you are staying on-site?

 

[bumbershoot]

Do you have to pay for parking if you are staying on-site?

No.

 

[pepe of ohio]

We have our own car and leave it in the parking lot ,resort).... Speed is not essential while on our vacation... We " all " like to look at the sights and daydream....

We're headed for trip 50 next week and have always used Disney transportation for everything ...

 

[mjmyers10]

We drive to every park except Magic Kingdom since you have to take transportation once you get there anyway.

 

[Moodyzblu]

I hate the cattle call going back to the resort especially.

Yeah, this ! It's not so bad if it's just grown ups, but with kids, it's real hard. Most people will give up their seats for a mother and her young child .. but not all. If we are lucky enough to get on first, I make my child sit on my lap so they don't take up an extra seat.

 

[sasra_nu]

Thanks all! We'll probably try WDW transportation once or twice (like if just going to MK and nowhere else) but I am guessing based on what you all have said that we will be driving most of the time. I appreciate all the input!

 

[kydisneyfans]

We just got back home and bus service was hit or miss all around during our stay at POFQ.

We waited 25 mins for a DHS bus to show Wednesday morning at the resort, only about a 1/3 of those waiting could even get on.

The very next morning we waited 25 mins for an Animal Kingdom bus, at that point we walked to our car and drove. The line was from the stop back to the entrance of the resort. It took us 14 minutes total to walk to our car, drive to AK, park, take the tram, and get to the entrance.

On the flip side, Wednesday evening we saw a sign to go to stop 11 at DHS to leave, we went to 11 and security asked why we were there. He stated they had forgotten to remove the sign and would take care of us quickly. Within a minute, a POFQ bus showed up for us and the other family that had also read the sign before it had been removed. We were impressed with the service.

Overall we felt the bus service at POFQ was pretty bad, especially early in the day.

 

[Moodyzblu]

We just got back home and bus service was hit or miss all around during our stay at POFQ.

We waited 25 mins for a DHS bus to show Wednesday morning at the resort, only about a 1/3 of those waiting could even get on.

The very next morning we waited 25 mins for an Animal Kingdom bus, at that point we walked to our car and drove. The line was from the stop back to the entrance of the resort. It took us 14 minutes total to walk to our car, drive to AK, park, take the tram, and get to the entrance.

On the flip side, Wednesday evening we saw a sign to go to stop 11 at DHS to leave, we went to 11 and security asked why we were there. He stated they had forgotten to remove the sign and would take care of us quickly. Within a minute, a POFQ bus showed up for us and the other family that had also read the sign before it had been removed. We were impressed with the service.

Overall we felt the bus service at POFQ was pretty bad, especially early in the day.

For the most part, this has been our experience.

We have had a few positive experiences too .. like one time we waited to long after park closing and so they sent us our own bus ! lol
I was so embarrassed .. but we enjoyed our solo bus tour, the driver was awesome and joked and talked with us the whole time.

 

[sotoalf]

If you want to take Disney transportation, don't stay at a park until the last moment: that's when the sardine-packing happens. Leave forty minutes or an hour before closing.

 

[Brigitte Haase]

We were at WDW last Thanksgiving. We did not have a car and used Disney transportation. We beat our friends to the parks everyday and they left in their vehicle from the resort earlier than our bus.

 

[mousegear]

We gave Disney transportation a try some years ago but it was hit or miss most time. It really took too long to get to parks from the resort and we hated taking the bus back after Illumination/Wishes.

After that try, we drive. We actually fly to MCO so we rent a car which is added cost but I feel like I'm buying the "saved time" by paying for the rental car. I don't mind driving down at WDW since the traffic does not exist.

 

[bscheaffer]

I would recommend utilizing WDW transportation. It's very convienent to travel between parks.